Well drilling apparatus



May 5, 1936. J. A. LUPFER WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 n @ci u@ M NY mw ehm es [Q6/br INVENT OR A ORNEY May5,1936. J. A. LUPFER 2,039,1.n6l

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS N 'n N JameSLu/fer INVENTOR A ORNE Y May 5, 1936. J. A. LLJPFER l 2,039,816

WELL DRILLNG APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 famesALLu/fer INVENTOR A TORNE Y Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED s'luxrl-zs PATENT OFFICE WELL DRILLING APPARATUS James A. Lupfer, Tulsa, Okla. Application Marchl, 1934, Serial No. 715,880

Claims.

This invention relates to well drilling and more particularly to a method and apparatus for use in drilling deep wells for oil, water, or the like, using a rotary drill bit, which apparatus and 5- method will reduce the cost of such drilling operations through the reduction of the quantity of machinery employed without reducing the speed or eiiiciencyof drilling.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reversible hydraulic turbine for operating the draw-Works or elevating apparatus employed in the drilling rig and to utilize the slush pumps to supply liquid under pressure for operating the hydraulic turbine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pumping layout for a drill rig whereby the pumps may be utilized to pump the slush to the drill bit or by manipulation or adjustment ofl suitable Valves they may be employed to pump clear water for operating the hydraulic turbine;

and also to provide suitable relief lines to permit ushing ofthe pressure liquid line at desired times.

Other objects of the invention are: to provide relief valves. in the pressure line between 'the pumps and turbine which will prevent excessive and dangerous pressure rise in the pressurelines; the use of pressure equalizers in the pressure line for leveling out imevenness in the liquid flow;r`

means for varying the speed and torque developedl by the reversing hydraulic turbine and the provision of a compact efficientA apparatus for` well drilling-wherein a minimum number oi' mechanisms. are' employed to provide a maximum number of operations, and an apparatus or layoutA wherein a minimum number of prime movers are employed to perform the required amount of work.

With these and other objects in viewas may 4o appear from the accompanying specification, the

invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be rst described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a well drilling apparatus of the preferred form, and the features forming the invention willbe specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan of the improved well drilling apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved well drilling apparatus. Y

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved reversible hydraulic turbine employed on the well drilling apparatus l Fig. 4.

(Cl. Z55-19) Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the turbin taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the turbine showing the operating-flow directing quadrant in turbine lnon-operating position. 6

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the quadrant in position for operating the turbine in a direction reverse to its normal direction of operation.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the operating fluid dil0 recting nozzle and quadrant.

Fig. 8 isa view partly in plan of the nozzle and quadrant showing the guiding hood broken away.'

, Fig. 9 is a horizontalvsectiori through the tur- 15 bine rotor taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a section through the operating fluid guiding quadrant taken on the line lll-III of Referring more particularly to the drawings, 20 the improved well drilling apparatus comprises a rotary drilling rig l of any approved type which can be purchased upon the open market and is now commonlyI in. use for drilling deep wells for oil or the like. In rotary drilling rigs 2li of this type, a rotary drilling bit is provided for the drilling operation, and slush in the form of water,'mud or the like, is pumped down through the drill pipe to the bit to facilitate the drilling operation and vto wash out the bit cuttings from 30 the hole being drilled. In the drawings, this drilling rig is only shown diagrammatically since it is a well known structure. The drilling rig is raised from the well by the draw-works or elevating apparatus of any approved type such as 35 shown at 2 in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings. -In the present invention, the elevating apparatus 2 is operated by a reversible hydraulic turbine 3 which will be specifically described hereafter and in connection with Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive 4 of the drawings. In Fig. 1 the turbine 3 is shown connected to the elevating apparatus 2 through a speed reducer mechanisml, but it is to be understood that it may be connected in any suitable manner to the elevating apparatus, such as either directly connected, or connected by means Vof gears, chain or belt connection without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The hydraulic turbine is operated by pressure 5G fluid pumped by the same pumps which supply the slush to the rotary drilling rig I. In Fig. 1

of the drawings a plurality, namely three of these pumps, is shown at 5, 6 and 1. All of the pumps 5,- l and 1 are direct acting reciprocat- 2 mg'pumpe of approved typeperuemerly designed for the handling of gritty or dirty water such as comprises the slush used in drilling. Each pump has a prime mover direct connected thereto asindicated at I, 0 and "respectively, In the drawings these prime movers are shown as lnternal combustion engines but any suitable vtype of primemover such as steam engines,` electric motors, or the like, may be employed in lieu of the internal combustion engines without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The suction ports (not shown) of each-of the pumps l, l and 1 are connected by a suitable pipe IIl, I2 or Il 'to a clearwater intake manifold whih in-turn has connection through a suitable supply Pipe il with a source of supply of clear water.- Pipes Il, I1 and il are also connected to the pump auctions and these pipes are connected to a manifold I l which has inlet connection throughs pipe 2l with the slush pit as indicated at 2|,v Valves 22 and 23 are mountedone in each of the clear'water inlet pipes Il,

'I2 and Il, and one in each of the slush inlet pipes Il, I1 and Il, so that by adjustment of these valves the pump vvsucti'ons may be connected either to the clear water intake manifoldfor pumping clear water or to the slush intake manifold I9 for pumping slush, dependingon whether it is desired to operate the rotary drilling rig l or the reversible'hydraulic turine 3.

Pumps l, l andA 1 e through discharge pipes 2|, 2l and 28 into a discharge line 21 and valves 2l are provided in the discharge line adjacent to the connection of the discharge line 21 with each'of the respective discharge pipes 24, l2l and 2l. s0 that if it is desired the directional now of the pump discharge in the discharge line 21 may be regulated by regulation of these valves 2l, or if it is desired the discharge \of one or more. ofthe pumps through the discharge line 21 to the rotary drilling rig I may be cutoff by p ,adjustment of these valves 2l. v

The discharge line 21 is connected through a suitable standpipe 2| and pipe and hose connectionlltotherotarydrlllingrig I..Apressure equaliser 8|.,- which may be of any approved type such as that shown in my companion applica- Serial Number 615.346, is connected t0 the discharge line 21 between the connections of the .discharge line `with' the pump discharges and the drilling rig i for the purpose of leveling out or evening-pulsations in the flow of nuid to the rotarrdrillingrig.

arene: une n having relier valve n thereinis connected-to the discharge line outwardly of thetandpipeuse'astepermittnebleedmg en ofpressureiiuidrromthedischargelineforthe Purpose of nushing the discharge line lfdesired. Also the relief valve Il may be of any approved type ofzautomatic relief valve which can now -be op'en market and opera- -abletc'prevent dangerouspressure rise inthe Dressureordischargeline.

Thedischargelineisalsoconnectedtothe inlet nossle Il of the-reversible hydraulic turbinelsothatwhenitisdesiredtooperatethe turbine, clear water may be pumpedby any one 0r all of the-pumps l, l or1 to supply the op'- erating fluid to the turbine.v A pressure equalizer 3l is connected to the discharge line between the .,connectionofthedischargeline 21 with the various pump discharges and its connection with the turbine inlet nonle jfl. .Thispressure equalizer -Il may be of any approved type, preferably such as that shown in my companion applicatioh above :,osasie mentioned, and it serves to level out the pulsal casing 4l of the turbine through the discharge' -pipellandthisdischargelinell hasapipe42 leading to the slush pit 2| and a. second branch l pipe I3 leading to the clear water pit or supply (not shown). Suitable valves M and 45 are provided whereby the discharge water from the turbine may be delivered either to the slush to the clear water supply as desired.

Prom the foregoing description taken in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will vbe apparent that the drilling rig has been provided wherein the usual slush pumps such as shown at 5, C and 1 serve not only the purpose of pumping slush for the rotary drilling rig I,

,. but also serve to pump operating huid for operating the reversible hydraulic turbine, thereby materially reducing the quantity of,v machinery The rotor It has a plurality of sets of bucketsv It connected thereto at spaced points about its periphery. Eachset 48 `comprises divided buckets il and B0 which open in opposite directions and are cupped to receive, the operating Jet of operating liquid for the purpose of rotating the rotor. The operating iet of liquid,`indicated at Il inFig. 4 of the drawings is forced through the inlet nomle Il and the variation of speed and torque developed'by the hydraulic turbine can be necessary in the proper drilling of va deep well` pit or regulatedbyadjustmentoftheneedlevalve52in the nozzle Il, also the speed and -torque developed by the turbine and variation of such speed can be' accomplished by the variation in z the speed of operation of the pumps 5, t and 1 or by the number of these pumps which are permitted to operate to supply operating iluid'for the turbine and also by manipulation of the relief valve to vary the volume of the liquidl delivered to the jet or inlet nozzle Il of the turbine. Normally, the incoming jet of operating water as indicated at Il will strike within th'e'bllckets; ll for rotating the l rotor in the direction indicated by the arrow A" inFig. 4 of thedrawings. Y When it is desired-tovreverse the direction of rotation of the rotor` Il, the iet guiding quadrant I3 is rotated by means of its rotating lever 54 into the `position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. When the quadrant I3 is positioned as shown in Fig. 8 o f the drawings it will receive the incoming jet li of operating uid into the opening 55 and the jet will travel through the diverging eways I1 in the quadrant and engagein the spaced buckets l0 which are opposed to the buckets 49 and consequently the rotor 4t will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 6 of the drawings or in the direction reversely to its direction of rotation when the jet of operating liquid strikes the buckets.

When it is desired to stop the rotation of the rotor IB during the supplying of operating liquid to the turbine, the quadrant 53 is moved into the position indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings and when in such position it will guide the incoming jet of operating water or liquid against the arcuate guiding which will direct the incoming operating fluid into the bottomnf the casing lll of the turbine from which it passes outwardly through the outlet 60 to the discharge pipe Il. Thus by the simple adjustment of the position of the directing quadrant 53, the direction of rotation of the rotor may be reversed or stopped irrespective of the manipulation of any valve in the discharge line 21 or of the operation of any or all of 45; may be pumped, a hydraulic turbine for operatthe pumps 5, 6 or 1.

It' will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific, construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that these may be connected-to the discharge of said pampa-said discharge line connected to said drilling rig for delivering slush -pumped to the drilling rlg, a hydraulic turbineconnected to said discharge line forrreceiving clean water pumped, and valves in. said discharge line for controlling the ow of iluid therethrough. y

4. In a well drillingapp'aratus, thel combination with a drilling rig, of a plurality of pumps for pumping slush to said rig, an independent prime mover for each of said pumps, a plurality of supply pipes connected to the suction ofeach pump, one of the supply pipes connected to each pump being connected to a slush supply source and another of said pipes connected to each pump being connected to a clear uwater supply source, and valves controlling said pipes to control the kind of liquid pumped, a discharge line connected to the discharge of said pumps, said discharge line connected to said drilling rig for delivering slush pumped to the drilling rig, a hydraulic turbine connected to said discharge line for receiving clean Water pumped, and valves in modied widely within the invention as .dened said discharge line -for 'controlling the flow of uid by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination with a drilling rig, of a direct acting pump 'for pumping slush to said rig, a clear water supply pipe connected to the suction of said pump, a slush standpipe connected to the discharger of the pump, valves in said pipes whereby either clear water or slush may be pumped, elevating means for raising said rig, a prime mover for operating said elevating rig,l and means whereby said prime mover may be operated by 1iluid pumped by said Dump.

` 2. In a ywell drilling apparatus, the combination with =a drilling rig, of a direct acting pump for pumping slu to said rig, an elevating apparatus for raising said rig, a clear water supply pipe connected to the suction of said pump,` a slush supply pipe connected to the pump suction, valves in said pipes whereby either clear water or slush ing said elevating apparatus, said turbine connected to the discharge of said pump whereby the turbine may be operated by iluid pumped by the pump.

3. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination with a drilling rig, of a plurality of pumps for pumping slush to said rig, an independent prime `mover` `for each of said pumps, a plurality of supply pipes connected to the suction of each*` pump, one of the supply pipes connected to each pump being connected to a slush supply source and another of said pipes connected to each pump being connected to a clear water supply source, and valves controlling said pipes to control the irma of uquid pumped, a discharge une therethrough, said pumps having independent connection with said discharge line, and a valve in said discharge line adjacent to 'its connection with each of the pump discharges whereby the directional now through the discharge line of the -liquid pumped by each pump may be controlled.

. In a well drilling apparatus, the combination with a drilling rig, of a plurality of pumps for pumping slush to said rig, an independent prime mover' for each of said pumps, a plurality of supply pipes connected to the suction of each pump,gone of the supply pipes connected to each pump being connected to a slush supply source i and another of said pipes connected to each pump being connected to a clear water supply l source, and valves controlling said pipes tocontrol the kind of liquid pumped, a discharge line connected to the discharge of said pumps, said discharge line connected to-said drilling rig for delivering slush pumped to the drilling rig, a

, hydraulicturbir'ie connected to said discharge line for receiving clean water pumped, and valves in said discharge line forvcontrolling the ow oi iluid therethrough, said pumps having independent connection with saiddischarge line, and a said discharge line may be ilushed without the ushing liquid passing either to said rig' or turbine.

" JAMES A. LUPFER. 

